The objective of this course is to provide an overview of the culture of ancient Rome beginning about 1000 BCE and ending with the so-called "Fall of Rome". We will look at some of the key people who played a role in Rome, from the time of the kings through the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. We will also focus on the city of Rome itself, as well as Rome's expansion through Italy, the Mediterranean, and beyond.

Reviews

PP

The course was interesting it is well made. People who are not specialists but have interest in the history of the Roman Empire could learn a lot in an easy and pleasant way.

SC

Apr 20, 2020

Filled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled StarFilled Star

An outstanding overview of Roman history via its art and architectural styles. Dr. Soren's lectures were entertaining and engaging, and I learned a great deal. Thank you!

From the lesson

The Early Romans and Their Ancestors (ca. 1000 - 500 BCE)

In the Early Iron Age (ca. 1000 BCE), civilization in Italy was rather simple. The most sophisticated cultures in the peninsula were not the Romans at all, but rather groups to the north of Rome who have come to be called The Villanovans, who exploited the metal resources of northern Italy even before the officially noted founding of Rome. Later the Etruscans would appear (ca. 800 BCE), Rome's first great rivals. The Etruscans were a loose confederation of city-states north of Rome who even expanded into Rome and further south, as far as Pompeii. The Etruscans are particularly noted for their magnificent art, in particular the glorious painted tombs of Tarquinia.

Taught By

David Soren

Transcript

Not much is known about the ancient town of Tarquinia itself. But the Necropolis, the plural of one Necropolis or city of the dead, tell a detailed story of the cult of the dead and the exuberance in life felt by the Etruscans. The colorful tomb paintings of Tarquinia were derived from a narrow pallet of locally available materials. Malachite, for example, produced green, calcium, copper, silicate produced deep blue. Reddish brown came from the iron rich earth. And yellow was the dangerous arsenic sulfide. With a date range from the sixth through the first centuries BCE, these tomb decorations tell us a great deal about ancient Etruscan life and mysterious rituals in Tarquinia. For example, let's consider one of these rituals which we can see in something which has been misnamed that it's called the Tomb of the Augurs. The Tomb of the Augurs shows us what appears to be a strange and bloody funerary ritual. Or even maybe a blood sacrifice for the dead. The Etruscans loved the art and religious stories of the Greeks, and even fused or, what we say, syncretized many of their myths into their own religion. Stories about Herclu or Hercules, or Heracles, were particularly popular. And in this tomb, we may actually have one of Heracles' 12 labors depicted. To atone for his sins, Heracles was sent to perform many tasks. Among them capturing the hound of hell known as Cerberus, the guardian of the underworld. And here we see a sacrificial victim, perhaps a criminal or a captured enemy enacting Heracles famous labor. The man is forced to wear a bag over his head as wild black dogs attack him. A strange masked man, labeled a Phersu, and dressed in an old fashioned full head mask entwines the hapless man with rope, thus making his attempt to cope with his situation all the more difficult and unpleasant. The man bleeds profusely from the dogs biting at his legs. This is apparently a funerary game or blood sacrifice, a practice also known to the later Romans. In the same tomb, we meet mourners bidding farewell to the deceased by touching their hair and gesturing good bye. This tomb dates to what we call the archaic period. It's the time after the orientalizing period and it falls between 600 and 500 BCE. When stylistic advances, strongly fed from Greek centers such as Athens and Corinth, have contributed to the look of the figures. This can be seen, well, in Tarquinia's Tomb of the Lionesses. The dancing figures, while still stiff and lacking knowledge of weight shift or actual stances or posture have advanced technically. They have large almond eyes. Thick thighs. Distinctive hair braids, at least much of the time, and carefully rendered faces now. And it is better to leave today's lecture then on a positive note. With dancing and joy rather than with the dark human sacrifices of the Tomb of the Augurs and yet strangely both extremes seem to have been a part of Etruscan culture.

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